


Ferris Wheel

by skippingmud



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Main Video Game Series), Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types, Pocket Monsters: Black & White | Pokemon Black and White Versions
Genre: Conversations, Gen, Nimbasa City, One Shot, Pokemon, Short One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-11
Updated: 2021-02-11
Packaged: 2021-03-17 17:54:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,630
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29354532
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/skippingmud/pseuds/skippingmud
Summary: Bianca and Cheren have a much-needed conversation.
Relationships: Bel | Bianca & Cheren
Comments: 2
Kudos: 3





	Ferris Wheel

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Guma](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Guma/gifts).



> This was written for the Canalave Library 2021 Extravaganza. The recipient asked for a conversation between BW1 characters, and I picked two that I surprisingly haven't written before. I hope you enjoy reading!

“Hey, Cheren! There you are!”

It’s been a week since she last saw him, and she immediately knew that he had a lot on his mind. To be fair, there was rarely a time when Cheren didn’t have anything in mind, but this particular thing seemed heavy.

“Thanks for coming, Bianca,” she heard him say, noticing a hint of impatience in his tone. “Did you travel far?”

“Well, Icirrus isn’t the closest town to Nimbasa,” she replied. “But an amusement park is a nice change of pace from the cold!”

She was surprised when Cheren called and told her to meet him in Nimbasa as soon as she could. Cheren wasn’t really the type of guy to hang out in busy cities, so whatever the reason for their meeting must have been important.

“So, what’s the plan?” she asked.

“Well, I got us two tickets to the ferris wheel,” Cheren replied as he took out two orange slips from his pocket. “I figured it’d be the perfect location for—”

“Whaaat?” Bianca interrupted. “You want both of us to ride the ferris wheel together?”

“Yes,” Cheren replied. “As I was saying, it would be the perfect location for a heart-to-heart talk—”

“Uhmm, Cheren, I’m really flattered,” Bianca said, feeling her cheeks burn. “But, uhmm, I don’t really see you that way. I’m, uhh, I’m really happy to be your friend, but...”

“What?” Cheren said, his expression showing a mixture of confusion and frustration. “No, no, it’s nothing like that. If you’d let me finish, I was going to say that I wanted a heart-to-heart talk about our journeys, and that a ferris wheel ride would give us the right amount of privacy for it. I was going to get us a table at a café, but I’d much prefer something quieter like a ferris wheel cabin.”

“Ooohhh,” Bianca said, her cheeks now red for a completely different reason. “Sorry, uhmm, let’s just forget about what I said, alright? What did you want to talk about?”

“Right,” Cheren acknowledged as he adjusted his glasses. “Well, it’d be better if we started to talk when we’re already in the cabin. So let’s line up.”

Cheren led the way to the entrance of the ferris wheel, and Bianca couldn’t help but laugh as she followed. If there was anyone who would see a ferris wheel ride as nothing more than a good, quiet site for a serious conversation, it would be Cheren.

* * *

The ferris wheel cabin was much bigger than Bianca expected. They had enough room for one of their Pokémon to enjoy the view, and Bianca knew that Musharna would love seeing the night sky. But she also knew that Cheren wouldn’t want her Pokemon interrupting their conversation, not to mention the mist that would fill up the cabin.

They heard the operator shout, and the ferris wheel rumbled into life. The ascent was very slow, and the cabin stopped a few times to let other passengers board the cabins after them. After a few minutes, the ferris wheel was in full swing, and Bianca was treated to a stunning view of the Nimbasa skyline. 

But she noticed Cheren not paying attention to the magnificent view he paid for. Instead, he was deep in thought, his eyes shut and his right hand on his chin.

“So, now do you want to tell me what’s on your mind?” Bianca said, breaking the silence. “It’s private and quiet, just like you wanted.”

“Right,” Cheren nodded as he stood up. “Like I said, it’s about our journeys. Or rather, what’s going to happen when it’s over.”

Bianca had to resist her urge to groan. She knew that whatever topic Cheren brought up was going to be heavy, but she didn’t think he would sound like her father nagging her about her life goals.

“I’ve told you many times that my goal is to be the Champion,” he continued. “I wanted to be known as the strongest trainer in the world, and becoming Champion was the best way to achieve that goal. But recent developments have made me realize that my goal is… well, a lost cause.”

Bianca’s eyes widened. “What? But you’ve wanted to become Champion ever since we left Nuvema!”

“Yes, and even before that,” Cheren pointed out. “But my frequent losses to Hilbert and my conversations with Alder have been… eye-opening, to say the least.”

Bianca knew that Hilbert was a strong trainer, but she always saw him and Cheren as equals—two powerful trainers that she wasn’t going to catch up with anytime soon. But Cheren’s somber expression told her that he saw something completely different.

“The current Champion asked me what the end-goal of my pursuit of strength was, and I couldn’t give him an answer,” he continued. “And I still don’t have an answer now, and the uncertainty is… frustrating.”

Cheren sat down as he finished that sentence, and Bianca was left speechless. For a few minutes, the only sound she heard was the rumbling of the ferris wheel, which just completed its first revolution and began its second. She saw Cheren looking outside at the hustle and bustle of Nimbasa, searching for an answer that seemed impossible to find. 

“So, that’s why I wanted to talk to you,” Cheren said, breaking the silence. 

“Uhmm… I don’t know what to say,” Bianca replied.

“Well, I was hoping you would,” Cheren pointed out. “Wasn’t it only a few months ago when, right in this very city, you made the decision to pursue your journey despite your father’s opinions?”

Bianca sighed. That was still one of the most difficult conversations she ever had to deal with, even if she had a gym leader helping her. But the months of exploration and discovery afterward told her it was more than worth it.

“And now, you’ve decided to become Professor Juniper’s assistant,” Cheren continued as he crossed his arms. “Now you have a clear path in front of you, and I can’t help but feel jealous.”

“You’re jealous of me?!” Bianca exclaimed. “I’ve been jealous of your strength for so long!” 

“Why would you be when my strength isn’t enough?” Cheren said with a heavy sigh. 

“Cheren…” Bianca began, but was taken aback by the cabin suddenly stopping. She looked around frantically, wondering if there was something wrong.

“Don’t worry, they’re just starting to let the other passengers out,” she heard Cheren say. “The ride’s almost over.”

“Oh, yeah,” Bianca said, her cheeks beginning to turn red again. “Cheren, I’m sorry you’re feeling down, and I really hope you feel better soon. I don’t know how I can help you, but I hope venting out to me was at least a little bit helpful.”

She thought she saw him nod, or it might’ve just been the gentle rocking of the cabin as it remained fixed in position. Whatever it was, she knew that he was still looking for an answer from her. 

“But… you’re wrong when you said that I had a clear path in front of me,” Bianca continued. “I’m just as lost and clueless as ever.”

“But you just became Professor Juniper’s assistant—”

“That doesn’t mean I have my entire life figured out!” she interrupted. “Sure, I’m her assistant now, but who knows if that will last? Maybe it’ll end up being too hard for me and I’ll have to step down. Maybe I’ll end up being such a bad assistant that I’ll be fired.”

As she said the last word of that sentence, the cabin began moving again, though much slower than before. After a few moments of silence, it stopped again, and Bianca could faintly hear the chatter of the passengers below as they were exiting the ferris wheel.

“Or maybe I’ll end up loving it and being really good at it, and I’ll become a professor one day!” she continued. “Whatever happens, I’m gonna work towards that goal. And if it doesn’t work out, I’ll just find a new goal!”

“You say that like it’s so easy,” Cheren replied. “All I ever wanted was to become Champion so that I can become the strongest trainer. How am I supposed to find a new goal if there isn’t any other way to be the strongest?”

“Well, instead of becoming the strongest, why not just become stronger?” Bianca said with a shrug. “I think you’re a strong trainer, but I know that you think you can become stronger.”

Bianca was expecting Cheren to rebut, but all she saw was Cheren staring at her intently, as if he was letting her continue.

“Uhmm, yeah, stronger,” Bianca fumbled out. “If you think you can’t become Champion anymore, that’s fine! Just become stronger in a different way and find a new goal! Maybe you can become a member of the Elite Four, a Gym Leader, a boss in the Battle Subway… there’s so much more you can do!”

She saw Cheren’s expression soften as she finished that sentence. “You know, Bianca, I don’t think you have to worry about being fired by Professor Juniper.”

“Whaaat?” she said, her cheeks becoming red again. “Why?”

“If your advice to her is as good as your advice to me, then she’ll have the best assistant she could ever ask for,” Cheren replied, his voice gaining back its usual air of confidence. 

Bianca could only smile in response—Cheren rarely gave compliments, and most of those were directed to Hilbert. She was never going to forget this one.

As the cabin stopped for the last time and its doors opened, they were greeted by the ferris wheel operator, thanking them for the ride. The two thanked him and walked around Nimbasa for the rest of the night, the city’s loud noises mixing in their heads with their deep thoughts.


End file.
